Do you need to dress up for dinner on a cruise?

Dinner or “smart casual” attire If you're having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants, you'll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.



Whether you need to dress up for dinner on a cruise depends entirely on the cruise line's specific dress code and the "theme" of the evening. In 2026, most mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian have moved toward a "Resort Casual" standard for most nights, which allows for sundresses, slacks, and collared shirts, and often permits "nice" jeans. However, most sailings still feature one or two "Formal Nights" or "Elegant Evenings" where guests are encouraged to wear cocktail dresses, suits, or even tuxedos in the main dining rooms. If you prefer to stay in casual attire like shorts and t-shirts every night, you can always dine at the ship's buffet (Windjammer/Lido) or grab-and-go stations where the dress code is very relaxed. Luxury lines like Cunard or Silversea maintain much stricter "black-tie" requirements for their evening events. To avoid being turned away from the main dining room, it is best to pack at least one "smart" outfit and check the daily newsletter on the cruise app for the specific dress code of the night.

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Dinner or “smart casual” attire If you're having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants, you'll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.

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To Conclude: If you do want to go on a cruise and skip formal night this is completely fine. Guests who don't want to attend formal night are able to eat in the buffet, other restaurants or have room service delivered.

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At night for dinner guests can go for casual or smart casual clothes at most of the restaurants. Although for specialty restaurants in cruise ships a formal dress code is suggested. The cruise line does not have any kind of formal nights but 'Norwegian's night out' can be considered as the formal night.

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On most of the evenings, the dress code will be casual (Cruise Casual). But there will be one or two evenings during your Carnival cruise, where you´ll have the opportunity to present your elegant apparel (Cruise Elegant).

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There can be 1-3 formal nights during a sailing and is at the ship's discretion. Our Chef's Table dining experience also enforces a formal dress code policy. Formal nights: 3/4/5 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2.

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At dinner, particularly in the main and specialty restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and theater, most cruise lines prefer a dressier look for men, requesting passengers refrain from wearing shorts, sleeveless T-shirts, flip-flops, and baseball caps.

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On formal nights, proper attire includes tuxedos, suits or slacks (jackets required) for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses or dressy pantsuits for women. Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but they're not appropriate in any public venues for dinner or cocktail hour.

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Getting on your ship means a lot of choices on how to begin your vacation, but many guests elect to start things off with lunch. Embarkation usually begins in the late morning to early afternoon, so lunch is the first opportunity to sit down for a bite to eat.

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Food and drinking are usually complimentary on the cruises. You are also allowed to bring your own snack on the cruise so that you can have what you love. A certain time is fixed for every meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can either have it with everybody in the dining room or bring it to your room.

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Technically, you can..... but the cruise line will discourage it for obvious reasons (if the A/C or heat is running, you get the idea). If you leave the door open, your cabin steward will keep shutting it. We turn our air off this time of year while cruising, and do sleep with the door open.

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Dress casually, and don't be surprised to see tropical wear on Caribbean cruises or even groups in matching T-shirts.

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For women, the dress code may ask for sundresses, skirts and blouses, dress shorts and capri pants are acceptable. Don't wear sleeveless shirts (for men), cut-off jeans, T-shirts or gym shorts. If you want to attend a “cruise elegant” evening, bring a fancier, more formal outfit.

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Since you'll be spending time on a boat, it's important to select comfortable footwear. Opt for shoes that are both stylish and offer support. Women can choose wedges, sandals, or flats, while men can opt for loafers or boat shoes. Avoid high heels or uncomfortable shoes that may hinder your mobility on the boat.

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Since cruise lines don't want you to be bored any more than you do, they fill up days at sea with a variety of activities from trivia sessions and lectures to arts and crafts and dance lessons. The more you participate, the faster your days pass. But don't forget to mix it up a bit.

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So how much money do you need? The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences.

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As a general rule, plan to have $50 to $100 each day in the local currency. Also, you may want to bring an extra $20 a day for tipping crew members. Make sure to include smaller bills for tips. Fifty to a hundred dollars a day should be enough to cover small purchases, tips and snacks at each port.

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